Tasked with supporting HS2’s rapid growth, we partnered with Mott MacDonald to deliver over 100 highly skilled contractors — from civil engineers to project managers.

Here’s how we scaled specialist teams to drive HS2 delivery for Mott MacDonald.

The brief

Alexander Associates has proudly partnered with Mott MacDonald for over three decades, supporting their expansion across the rail and highways sectors. As part of this longstanding relationship, Alexander Associates was entrusted with sourcing and placing multiple contractors to contribute to the development of the High Speed Two (HS2) rail infrastructure projects.

The challenges

Mott MacDonald faced the significant challenge of rapidly expanding its project delivery teams to support High Speed Two (HS2) – Europe’s largest infrastructure project. Meeting the project’s demands required assembling a highly specialised workforce, including construction workers, specialist engineers, architects, designers, and project managers from across the UK and beyond. These professionals needed the capability to perform in high-pressure environments, often working to tight deadlines and adapting to evolving scopes of work.

My experience working with them has been nothing short of exceptional. The team at AA is characterised by their professionalism, dedication, and remarkable expertise. They consistently deliver high-quality results, demonstrating a deep understanding my needs and a commitment to excellence. From the outset, the team have shown incredible initiative and responsiveness, to the highest standard. I highly recommend the whole at Alexander Associates who always land top-notch skilled resources and unwavering reliability.

BIM Manager, Mott MacDonald

Our approach

Alexander Associates responded with speed and precision, with our dedicated recruitment specialists to meet Mott MacDonald’s complex workforce needs. Leveraging decades of sector expertise and a vast talent network, we delivered a tailored recruitment strategy across three core areas:

Targeted Contractor Resourcing
We identified and secured top-tier professionals across a wide range of disciplines, including civil and structural engineering, project management, and environmental consultancy – ensuring every hire was both technically proficient and project-ready.

Flexible and Scalable Delivery
Our agile recruitment model enabled Mott MacDonald to scale teams rapidly in response to evolving project demands, maintaining momentum and alignment with critical HS2 milestones.

Strategic Talent Alignment
We worked in close partnership with hiring managers to align every placement with both technical requirements and the company’s culture, supporting long-term performance and team cohesion.

Outcome

At its peak, Alexander Associates had 115 contractors deployed concurrently through Mott MacDonald, with an average contract duration of six years – an accomplishment attributed to the following key factors:

• Successful Delivery Support: A large cohort of skilled professionals was onboarded to advance the HS2 programme, playing a crucial role in meeting key design and construction milestones.
• Client Satisfaction: The client’s ongoing trust and repeat business underscored our reputation for consistent delivery under pressure and adherence to the highest recruitment standards.
• Operational Efficiency: Streamlined hiring processes and high candidate retention were achieved through precise talent matching and proactive recruitment strategies.

Working with Alexander Associates has been a great experience. The staff has been prompt since I got placed by them. Harry Smith has been brilliant in attending to all my queries efficiently and prompt. Your human management skill is fantastic and I will encourage you maintain this standard going forward.

Document Controller, Mott MacDonald

If you would like to know more about our support of Mott MacDonald or how we can help you achieve your hiring strategy needs, please reach out to James Knight – Principal Recruitment Consultant.

Or, take a look at our dedicated Infrastructure recruitment and career portal to discover the information you need about our services.